FC Barcelona Coach Flick Takes a Jab at Real Madrid and Reveals Top Choice
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick criticized Real Madrid’s approach to officiating complaints, stating it’s “not our way of doing things” during a prematch press conference on Wednesday.
On the same day that club legend Gerard Piqué described Real Madrid’s formal complaint as a “smokescreen” from a club that has operated this way “for 120 years,” Flick addressed questions about Madrid’s reaction to their 1-0 defeat against Espanyol.
“I don’t really want to comment on this. It’s their decision, but it’s not how we operate,” Flick initially said ahead of Thursday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Valencia.
“I wouldn’t handle it that way, personally. There are no excuses. We will continue doing things as we always have. Coaches have their reasons for what they say, and we all make mistakes, including referees. Their job is very difficult, and we need to support them,” he added.
When asked whether Madrid’s statement was disrespectful, Flick reiterated, “I’ve already said everything. From the beginning, I made it clear—no excuses or complaints. We must win our games. We’ve dropped many points and lost matches unexpectedly; that’s on us.
“Tomorrow is a different challenge, and we’ll focus on that. On Sunday, we’ll shift our attention to La Liga.”
Flick was also questioned about the team’s first-choice goalkeeper between Inaki Peña and Wojciech Szczesny following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s season-ending injury.
“Szczesny is our clear number one,” Flick confirmed. “We chose him for his personality, style, and consistent performances. Both are excellent keepers, and we also have promising young talents.”
